Seeing is Decieving
by AwsmazingOTPainsXD
Summary: AU where Kuroro is the leader of a band of sailing thieves. After reading about the peculiar Kuruta clan, Kuroro sets out on a voyage to find these scarlet treasures. However, things get complicated and emotional (two things that Kuroro doesn't do well with), when he meets a specific scarlet-eyed beauty.
1. Prologue

***Seeing is Deceiving***

 **Note:** _This is my first fanfiction ever, so please bear with me! Constructive criticism is welcome, but no flaming please. Also, I have only watched the 2011 anime, so the character features (ex. hair and eye color) are based on that._

 **Disclaimer:** _I don't own the characters or the series in any way._

 **Beta reader:** _None, please bear with me XD_

 **Warning:** _This is an AU and the characters are OOC. Also, if you don't ship Kuroro/Kurapika, you probably won't like this. It's not graphic though, so it shouldn't scare you away : ) Also, despite Kuroro being a sailing thief, he's not very pirate-like XD_

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Deep in the mountains, on the island of Lukso, the Kuruta tribe live in peace and solitude. The young children laugh and run about in the ancient forests surrounding their small homes. Parents fuss over their young ones, warning against straying too far away, close to the main villages. The village elder looks out over the village and smiles sadly when seeing these children, so cautious and obedient.

He wishes for a time when there will be no fear of outsiders, no strangers that see them as either riches or monsters, but as _human._ Just like others, this clan, especially its children, have dreams and hopes. However, unlike other children, they are too cautious and lack the naivety of normal children, all of them knowing too well the dangers of the world outside their little mountain village. All except one young, fiery and passionate dreamer.

* * *

"Come on, Pairo," Kurapika whined impatiently to his wary cousin. This was their first journey to the main village. They crept to the outskirts of town, watching the busy streets from a tree in the nearby forest. Surely not as much as in the day, but even at night the streets were lively.

"But it's forbidden, we shouldn't be here!"Pairo replied, glancing around. It was dark and they were quite high up in the trees. He joined him anyway. "I don't know about this Kurapika…."

"Don't worry, I won't let you fall!" Kurapika gave him thumbs up and grinned, before ruffling his brown hair. Despite having very poor eyesight, Pairo would describe that smile as bright, even blinding. He wished he could be like his cousin, passionate and adventurous. When he was with Kurapika, he felt that he could go anywhere and explore this entire, vast, wondrous world outside their little settlement, hidden from the rest of the world. Kurapika looked back at the village, alight with lanterns hung about.

"That's not what I'm talking about and you know it," the brunette chided.

The boy with the golden locks, not missing the affectionate tone of voice, just grinned wider and Pairo found himself doing the same. As the gentle breeze ruffled through their hair, they sat there on the large branches, swinging their legs, remembering a promise made in childhood. A promise to one day set out to accomplish their dream of adventure and exploration.

* * *

A little while before dawn, Kurapika attempted to sneak back to his room before his mother awoke and scolded him. He smiled to himself, remembering his first visit to the main village. It had looked so big and exciting, with the busy streets and so many _people._ Careful not to alert his mother, he crept quietly to his room.

"Kurapika! Where have you been?!" firmly stated the mother of the young blond. Said blond flinched and slowly turned around, facing the angry woman.

"M-m-mother, you surprised me!" Kurapika scratched the back of his head, a habit that showed he was nervous. She simply glared at her mischievous son. Seeing as lying wasn't an option, he sighed and told her the only thing he could, the truth. "I just wanted to _see_. I was curious,"Kurapika murmured.

"I've told you not to venture into that place, it's too dangerous!"

Kurapika instantly became defensive and angry. "I didn't do anything dangerous! I told you that I just wanted to _see_! I wanted to _see_ the people, _see_ the way they live and play, _see_ the festivals." She opened her mouth to retort, but he interrupted. "I've always, _always_ _ **,**_ _just wanted to SEE!"_ With each word, his voice grew louder, until he was close to shouting. He was about to continue to let out his frustration until he looked at her face contorted in pain, tears in her eyes.

 **"** _He_ always just wanted to see! Have you forgotten what happened to your father?!" Tears cascaded down her red cheeks, and she brought her hands up to cover her face. Kurapika's eyes widened and he looked down, ashamed and guilty from causing his mother so much grief.

His mother was widowed a few years after he was born. His father, passionate and brash, had wanted more for them. He didn't heed the warnings of the elders and being too curious for his own good, he trekked into town one day to never return. A couple months later, his body was found with the eyes missing. And he wasn't the last. They had always been wary of strangers and lived, hidden away from other, but since that incident, the Kuruta clan had closed off completely to outsiders, only going to town when absolutely necessary.

"Promise me," his mother spoke through sobs, "never go out there, they can't be trusted, they're dangerous!"Kurapika hesitated and looked away. She grabbed him by the shoulders to force him to look at her. "Promise me, Kura!" she pleaded.

Kurapika looked at her and took a deep breath. "Okay, I promise," he murmured with a heavy, somber heart. She exhaled before hugging him tightly and placing a kiss to his temple. Kurapika returned the gesture and looked out through the window over her shoulder, taking in the broad sunrise, staring at it with longing. ' _I just want to see the world_ '

* * *

 _~Scarlet eyes of the Kuruta clan_

 _They reside, peaceful and hidden in mountains. Everyone dawned in traditional clothing, consisting of white, gold and royal blue. In the lush forests and fields, the sun shines on the simple dwellings of the ancient, mysterious tribe._

 _This tribe is special. Whilst normally their eyes are a warm brown, a striking scarlet hue known for being one of the seven most beautiful colours in the world, shines through from intense emotions. Known and sometimes feared for their peculiar eyes, the Kuruta avoid outsiders unless absolutely necessary, living in solitude, on the island of Lukso.~_

"DANCHO!"

Kuroro glanced up from his book, titled _Wonders of the World,_ to look at his booming giant friend, who was pointing ahead. "LAND HO!" Uvogin, the giant, boomed in excitement. The others cheered and roared. Kuroro looked ahead, at the island fast approaching, back to the passage in the book and then around at his comrades on this lengthy voyage. He grinned, enjoying the incredulous looks of the others, for he rarely smiled. They all broke into grins as they neared the island of Lukso.


	2. Curious

I'm really sorry for the late update! I have everything for this story planned out, I just don't really know how to write it in words XD A new chapter should be coming soon though! *I hope so, because this is a little short*

* * *

 ***Seeing is Decieving***

 **Chapter 1: Curious**

* * *

The afternoon sun shone bright on the sleeping Kuruta's face, stirring him awake. He blinked and rubbed his eyes, still dazed with sleep. The young blond lay on his back, one hand beneath his head, staring at the low ceiling as memories of last night returned. He smiled, remembering his first glimpse of the main village. His heart filling with longing and excitement, only to be quickly replaced with a deep sadness as he recalled his confrontation with his mother later that night. He clenched his hand into the cotton white shirt on his chest. ' _I know she just wants to keep me safe, but I am not a child anymore!'_ Kurapika thought, his blond brows furrowing.

He stood up and made his way over to the large window to open the shutters. Closing his eyes, Kurapika sighed as he heard the forest and grass rustling around him and felt the wind gently comb through his golden locks causing his earing to sway gently.

He glanced at the handmade antique on the wall to see that it was nearing 4:00 and remembered that he'd gone to bed without hungry. A loud grumble coming from his stomach testified to that. He rubbed his stomach as he made his way to the kitchen in his little home. He didn't have to fear running into his mother, at this time she's usually with his aunt having a cup of tea. ' _Probably informing her of what Pairo and I had been up to last night',_ he thought anxiously, as he ate some home-baked bread and some fresh fruit.

He thought about his little village, beautiful and peaceful. He thought of his family, his mother, and the village Elder. Kurapika felt guilty, knowing how lucky he was to live in a place where he had everything he needed. He had a home, a family, and he lived comfortably. He knew he was loved, but lately it had felt smothering and suffocating. He felt trapped. Like a bird begging to be set free. He wanted to be free to explore and discover and _live_ his wildest ideas that he could only imagine. With a shaky exhale he returned to his room and sat on the window pane, legs dangling.

He sighed and looked out towards the horizon and saw that the sun had begun to make its descent into the sea, remembering that the days were getting shorter and the nights longer. The sky was painted golden and pink, tinted with a scarlet hue. A smile graced Kurapika's lips. No matter how many times he saw this sight, it was just as beautiful as the last. ' _There'_ , he thought, staring at the rose stained sea, _'that's where I want to be. What I want to see. And I want to go beyond even that.'_

His heart ached with bitterness and longing. He angrily wiped away the frustrated tears that gathered in his eyes as he remembered his promise to his mother. His promise to never go out there again, out of this _cage;_ where it was dangerous for his clansmen. Out there, beyond this haven, his clansmen weren't seen as human, weren't seen as people. To outsiders, the Kuruta were nothing more than possessions or feared as monsters for their peculiar eyes.

He focused back on the horizon when suddenly movement caught his eye. He squinted to see a shape emerging. His eyes widened as he processed what he was seeing. A ship was nearing the shore of the island.

Kurapika had never seen a ship before, much less boarded one. He's only ever read about them in books. Tales of adventure and freedom sparked a longing to explore, to fulfill the dreams he could only imagine. Curiosity enveloped the young dreamer. ' _I've always wanted to see one, a little peek can't hurt' ,_ he thought as he raced out the door, a joyous and bright grin lighting up his face. _'Just a little peek'_

Evening came to find a large ship nearing the shore of the island. A large spider symbol writhed on the blowing sails, looking eerily alive and unsettling in the moonlight.

The night was quiet as the leader of this ship, Kuroro Lucifer, lay with both hands beneath his head in the hammock. His face was illuminated by a trail of moonlight that trickled through the narrow window in his cramped cabin. The snores of his fellow voyagers drifted through the thin walls as he lightly swayed from side to side with the gentle waves.

Like most nights, Kuroro lay awake, unable to sleep like the rest of them. He didn't mind though, instead preferring to call insomnia an 'old friend' when Machi had shown concern. He actually preferred it this way, lying awake in the peaceful night, thinking or reading, instead of the rare nights he did collapse from utter exhaustion. Those rare nights he woke in a cold sweat with tears running down his face, confused and wary. He could never recall what put him, the _fearless young leader_ , in such a state. It was irritating and unsettling. No matter how much he pondered and concentrated, he could never remember.

He took a deep breath a closed his eyes, pondering over the passage he had read earlier. He thought of eyes of such a fiery scarlet, and was curious as to what they would be like up close, in person. _'I want those eyes'._ The main reason that they had come to this island was to obtain these beautiful treasures _._

His dark eyes opened as he felt the ship enter shallow water. A small smile adorned his youthful and handsome features, eyes widening in excitement as the ship banked on the shore. _'I want those eyes'_

* * *

I hope you like it, and again I'm sorry for the late update :)


	3. Encounter

**_Hey ya'll, remember me? *nervous laughter*_**

 ** _Remember when I said I would update soon because I was writing the next chapter...almost a year ago *sweats* Ah yeah, here it is...*chucks this garbage at you and runs away* I'm sorry I'm so incompetent ;-; Please don't hate me and whoever has stuck with me this long, thank you so much 3 I can't promise that the next chapter will be out soon, but I refuse to abandon this fic, you've been so sweet to me with your lovely comments and your patience TwT_**

 ** _Anyways, here's a short little chapter, I sincerely hope I can get the next one out soon o(-(_**

* * *

Kurapika sprinted towards the ocean, winding and leaping his way through the little forest that was seated on the cliff overlooking the beach below. Moonlight trickled through the treetops, lighting up his path. The Kuruta could feel his heart thundering with excitement as he neared the edge of the forest, skidding to a halt and leaning against a tree to steady his breathing.

Kurapika closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths to calm his racing heart. Slowly, he opened his eyes and walked over to the edge of the cliff to peer over and he gasped at the sight before him. The blond had expected the ship to be large, but _this,_ this was _enormous._ And the grotesque spider writhing on the sails was frightening. As the wind blew the sails, Kurapika could barely make out a figure, clad in black, standing on the edge of the boat, gazing down at the water. The young blond dropped to his knees and peered closer, hands clinging to the edge of the steep cliff. The stranger was eerily still, and Kurapika began to wonder if they had fallen asleep in that position. Suddenly, the figure glanced up at him, startling Kurapika. In his shock his hand slipped, sending him tumbling over the edge of the cliff.

Letting out an obscenely loud shriek, the blond grappled for something to hold onto, managing to at least angle his body so he wasn't falling headfirst. He faintly heard the sound of splashing and registered that the stranger was no longer where he'd been standing. Squeezing his eyes shut, Kurapika awaited the impact and despite himself, he was mortified that someone had seen this unruly display of clumsiness. _'I almost wish that I won't survive this, I'll never live this down. I'm such an idiot!'_ the blond had the decency to berate his own stupidity.

He heard a grunt as his body collided and he cried out when pain exploded in his ankle. Since he'd fallen face-down, Kurapika expected sand to engulf his senses, stinging his eyes and have him spitting up grains. Much to his surprise and relief, he'd landed on something that was _definitely not sand._ His relief was short-lived however, when he realized he'd collapsed on a living _person._ The Kuruta groaned and lifted his head. He froze, coming face to face with a raven haired stranger.

An ashen gaze locked with his own, seeming to bore straight into his soul. The blond shivered, feeling exposed and vulnerable. Kurapika had always had good intuition and he took pride in that, and right now intuition was telling him that this young man was _dangerous._ Unsettled, the blond scrambled to put some distance between them, only retreating a couple steps before pain shot through his ankle and he fell backwards, crying out in pain as he struggled to remain conscious. In his peripheral vision, he saw the raven on his feet, dusting himself off and walking towards him.

"S-stay back", the blond forced out. Then his vision went black.


	4. Chapter 4

_Happy Holidays ! Guess who's back? back again? after forever and a day lmao...*plz feel free to fling me into the sun* Life has been hectic and I've just been lazy so..._  
 _Anyways, I just wanna let you all know that I am still working on this! (although I procrastinate a lot ugh) and I am also working on another kurokura fic because one of my followers requested it._  
 _If you're still following this story then thankyou so much333 even though I have failed you all TwT I hope you enjoy..._

* * *

When Kurapika awoke, the first thing that registered to him was that he was laying in a bed that was not his, in a room that was definitely not his. He also registered that he was alone.

After taking a minute to clear his head, he looked around again and observed that he was in what looked to be a little room in an old inn. The room was completely bare, save for a bed, a small table with two chairs and a lamp and leather-bound book rested on the night table beside the bed.

Sitting up, he looked out the window beside the bed and watched as villagers bustled about even as the sun was setting. _'Again!? What time is it? How long was I out?'_ He realized that he was in the village that he had snuck out to see a couple nights ago with Pairo. He couldn't believe that he he had been resting peacefully in the heart of the village that he had only ever had a glimpse of prior to this day.

Suddenly, the door opened and Kurapika whipped his head around to see the raven-haired man from the night before. The man paused. "Oh, you're awake", he said simply, before closing the door behind him.

The man walked over to sit in one of the chairs, positioning it so he was sitting backwards and facing the blond, crossing his arms on the top of the chair and resting his chin on them. He watched Kurapika silently for a couple seconds and then the corner of his lips turned upwards slightly and Kurapika looked away quickly, realizing he'd been staring the whole time.

You couldn't blame him though, the man was very handsome. He was tall and lean, dark hair framing his handsome face, pushed back at the hairline by a bandage wrapped around his head, leaving a few stray bangs to fall over his eyebrows. He looked quite young too, Kurapika glanced at him again and guessed that he was around 20 years old, only a couple years older than him.

"How are you feeling?"the man asked, though he still had the smirk on face, clearly amused by the blond's staring.

Kurapika looked down at himself. His ankle was wrapped up with a splint and he had a few cuts and bruises, but other than that he was perfectly fine, a little sore, but it was bearable.

"Fine", kurapika replied, bluntly. Then he cringed internally. Where were his manners? His mother raised him better than this. The man had helped him and here he was being rude. "Thank you", he added quickly.

The man blinked then huffed in amusement. "What were you even doing up there so late?"he asked, curiously.

Kurapika looked down at his hands, embarrassed as he remembered his clumsiness. "I saw your ship from my window and I wanted to get a closer look", the blond answered, nervously.

The man tilted his head at him. After a minute he murmured, "I'm certain that it would not have been visible from this village."

Kurapika's eyes widened slightly at his slip-up and he felt a sudden urge of panic. "U-umm."

The man clearly noticed and he suddenly seemed a lot more interested, sitting up straighter and watching him so intensely the blond fought to suppress a shiver. ' _This man is dangerous_.' he thought for the second time since their encounter.

"Do you not live here? Where are you from?" The stranger pushed on. Though, the blond was sure he already had an idea.

Kurapika wracked his brain for an answer that would be anything but the truth. This man was dangerous and he couldn't know about his true identity. Unfortunately for him, the man most certainly figured it out, if the glint in his eyes was any indication. Kurapika gulped nervously and his palms began to sweat.

"Are you, by any chance, from the Kuruta clan?" The man asked, although they both knew that he was right, it was more of a statement at this point.

Kurapika wracked his brain for a convincing lie but he came up blank. His silence was the only answer that the stranger needed, as one corner of his mouth lifted in a satisfied smirk. Kurapika's body coiled tight, ready to flee, but the man simply rested his chin on his arms casually. He tilted his head at the blond.

"What's your name?"

"It's only polite that you state your own name first," Kurapika snapped, on edge.

Kuroro blinked at him and chuckled softly. "Kuroro Lucilfer. There, now may I know your name?"

The blond didn't see any use to hide his first name when the danger was from his clan name, and Kuroro had already figured that out. "Kurapika," he responded with a sigh.

"Kurapika Kuruta….",Kuroro murmured, thoughtfully. The blond clenched his fists. His name sounded strange coming from an outsiders mouth. "Nice name", he said simply, then he stood up moved to sit at the foot of the bed. Kurapika jumped to his feet and bolted towards the door, but pain shot through his ankle and he nearly collapsed on his face but (un?)fortunately the man was faster. He grabbed him by the waist and guided him back to the bed, mindful of his injuries.

Kurapika stared at him in shock. No normal human was supposed to be faster than a Kuruta. Although, the blond would admit that he wouldn't be surprised if the man wasn't human after all.

Kuroro surveyed his injuries and then once he was sure the he wouldn't try to run again, he let go of him and sat back to give the blond some space, raising his arms in surrender. "I don't want to hurt you."

Kurapika narrowed his eyes, not trusting him. He had been taught his whole life not to trust outsiders. And he wouldn't. Not even when he so desperately wanted to. " Then what _do_ you want?" Kuroro tilted his head and thought for a moment before he glanced over at the book on the night table. Kurapika followed his gaze, reading at the title, _Wonders of the World_ , and then lifted a fine brow at the man, who was staring into his eyes so intently, it seemed like he was searching for something. Suddenly, Kurapika's stomach grumbled loudly.

Kuroro blinked, the sound seeming to knock him out of his deep thoughts. He tucked the book into the little drawer in the night table before standing up. "I'll get you something to eat. You must be starving since you've been out for almost 18 hours" he said, making his way towards the door. The blond watched him go, sighing in relief once the door was shut behind him.

Kurapika fought the urge to flee. He reasoned with himself that if this stranger wanted to hurt him, he would have done so already. With that slightly comforting thought, he gazed out the window, at the horizon. He wondered about his mother, what she would be thinking. He had broken his promise. She was going to kill him, or worse, she would literally lock him away, unable to leave the house ever again. He groaned and buried his face in his hands. _'Maybe I should just run away….'_

* * *

 _well that was terrible dhksjdklsaj but I'll just keep writing and hope you still like it TwT despite being terrible with updates, I am intent on completing this fic so i refuse to abandon it (even if it takes me YEARS) o(-(  
as always, comments really help motivate me :')  
Come talk to me on tumblr awsmazingfandoms -or just haggle me to write this gd fic lmao (and sometimes I open fic requests for one-shots/prompts and I draw too ^w^)_


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